


dandelion

by SuperStellar



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Hanahaki Disease, M/M, Non-Linear Narrative, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:21:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22916152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperStellar/pseuds/SuperStellar
Summary: Raihan had been in love with Leon for forever, and now that he had a physical manifestation of those feelings sitting in his lungs, he knew that Leon could never be told about it.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan
Comments: 50
Kudos: 226





	1. dandelion

**Author's Note:**

> February 29 is Rare Disease Day, a day to raise awareness about rare diseases - because it only happens every 4 years :) I have a fun rare disease called achalasia, where I can't swallow properly due, essentially, my esophagus crapping out on me. It leads to some coughing and spitting up of food - very similar to Hanahaki except luckily my condition isn't fatal, and what comes out is actually what I put in, no surprise plant matter lol. I did get surgery for it and life is normal most of the time! But that's why I wanted to write a little story about a rare disease.
> 
> Anyway if you're not familiar with the trope, Hanahaki Disease is an illness where unrequited love causes flowers to grow in one's chest, eventually killing the victim if the love remains unrequited. Sometimes surgery is possible, sometimes not. And characters all named after flowers, how could I not write this story?

His lungs were being colonized by a weed.

It was such a small plant, such a common flower, and yet his chest was full of them. Strong taproots settled in his alveolar sacs, serrated leaves crawled through his bronchioles. And, for each plant, a single scape travelled out through the primary bronchi to erupt in a bright yellow floret.

_Dandelions._

* * *

They had met during their gym challenge. Raihan was setting up camp when Leon had stumbled through the bushes and nearly pushed him over, a tiny Charmander squeaking as twigs were hitting them both in the face. Raihan stared at the boy, who looked completely lost and only a little bit scared.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I think I’m lost.”

Raihan snorted. “I can see that. I was going to make some curry; do you want some?”

The other boy's stomach rumbled. The two of them stared at his stomach, and then burst out into laughter.

“I’ll take that as a yes, then. I’m Raihan, and that,” he said, pointing at his own Pokémon, “is Trapinch.”

“I’m Leon,” he said with a wide grin, “and this is Charmander.”

* * *

Leon was a constant presence in Raihan's life, even when he was busy being Galar's Champion. Even when Raihan discovered that somewhere along the way, he had fallen in love with the man.

It was hard not to. Galar had never loved a Champion more, and every once in a while, there was another case of Hanahaki hitting one of Leon's fans. Leon always made a visit to the afflicted person to apologize profusely to them, their family, their loved ones. And he always told them that he couldn’t return their feelings. They would recover after giving up on their love.

One day, over pizza at Raihan's apartment, he asked Leon how he felt about Hanahaki and his fans.

“They don’t know the real me, you know? Just the packaged Champion that the Chairman sells.” Leon sighed. “And I feel bad for them. I can’t imagine loving someone you’ve never met so deeply that you develop a disease where flowers grow from your lungs.”

Raihan nodded. “But I guess that shows how popular you are!”

“Maybe so, but still... I don’t like being the cause of people potentially dying.” Leon ran a hand through his hair. “Is it selfish of me to say I wish they wouldn’t tell me?”

* * *

When Raihan became the gym leader of Hammerlocke Stadium, he was 15 years old. 5 years after he had completed his gym challenge. 5 years after he had become Leon’s friend and rival. 5 years after his losing streak began.

He had created his own personal battling style, becoming a weather specialist and doubles powerhouse. And yet, he still couldn’t beat Leon.

He started taking selfies after every battle after the second loss. At first, it was a way to remember what happened during the battle – a way to record his notes. Then, it was to remind himself that he was more than his collection of losses against his rival – who no one else had won against, but no one else could call themselves his rival, either. Raihan knew he was a fantastic Pokémon trainer, and his collection of selfies would show that easily. He _did_ win more than he lost.

And now that he was being given control of Hammerlocke, the final gym in the gym challenge, the most important gym because of the energy plant and the vault... he knew that someone else thought he was great too.

He took a selfie in front of the entrance on his first day and posted it on his social media.

* * *

The first time he coughed, he didn’t think much of it. He had been training in more sandstorms, and it wasn’t unheard of for his chest to ache a little bit after spending too much time out in the Wild Area.

But when he got home and spat out a tiny, blood-speckled petal, he knew it was much more serious than simply training too hard.

He didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or to cry.

He had accepted it long ago, that he was in love with his rival and best friend and his _everything,_ but he never thought he’d be afflicted with this specific disease. He knew he was in love and that it probably wouldn’t be returned, but this?

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go, and he didn’t know if he could let go of this love enough to recover.

* * *

Running a gym was perhaps the most difficult thing Raihan ever had to do, but it was also the most satisfying. He had some fantastic trainers with him, all interested in his weather centric doubles style. They wanted to _learn_ from him, and he wanted to shape them into strong trainers, the strongest trainers.

It might be Leon’s dream for Galar to become the strongest in the world, but Raihan was doing the work in the trenches. Leon was the king, Raihan was the knight. Through his own work, he was helping Leon achieve his dreams.

But, most days, Raihan didn’t give any of that much thought. He drilled his trainers. He trained his own Pokémon. He met with sponsors. He made time to visit his own fans, especially the younger ones who had yet to embark on their own gym challenge.

He became known as the strongest gym leader. Someone who could easily be the Champion of another region. And yet, he stuck around, working for Leon's dream. He told everyone that it wouldn’t mean anything if he simply left to become champion elsewhere. But what he really wanted to tell them all was that he stayed because he was there to support Leon.

* * *

Milo was the first to find it out.

They were having lunch after a pre-league meeting, and Raihan couldn’t hold in his cough. Three tiny petals were on Raihan’s palm when he pulled it away from his mouth, and they both stared at it in horror.

Milo broke the silence first. “Are you going to tell him?”

Raihan sighed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You can’t play dumb with me, Raihan. I’m a farmer. Plus, if anyone knows more than I do about plants, I’ll eat my hat.” Milo placed a comforting hand over Raihan's, over the offending blood-stained petals. “If you ever want to talk about it, I’ll be around. But I think you should tell him.”

“It’s just three measly petals – how can you even tell what flower they’re from?” Raihan laughed weakly.

“Well, maybe it’s not just the flowers.” Milo smiled. “You’re pretty transparent, you know?”

* * *

Leon was what kept Raihan going when he struggled with his gym, both to support his goal and as a physical pillar. Raihan never told Leon about any of his difficulties, but Leon always seemed to know when he was feeling down. That’s when he would show up with some form of take-away and a couple beers when they were finally old enough to imbibe (and perhaps a few when they weren’t).

Raihan wished he could do the same for Leon, but he was too heavily managed.

Instead, he contented himself with being taken care of from time to time. And Leon seemed to enjoy their time together, too.

Raihan wished he could read more into the casual touches, the eye contact, but he knew better than anyone else that Leon was simply the best friend. He was the best at everything, after all.

A real champion friend.

* * *

Whenever Raihan was doubled over, petals flooding his trachea, he wondered about the dandelions.

They represented a sincere love, and the trust from love. A love that encompassed Raihan’s whole heart. And he knew that Leon's mum had named him after dandelions – _dent de lion._ They were perfect for him in that way.

He read about how dandelions are edible. He briefly considered eating his flowers, but thought it would be too weird – he wasn’t one to eat his feelings normally, and now that he had a physical representation of them, he wasn’t about to start. And besides, he could barely choke down any food nowadays, with his throat rubbed raw from his coughing, and the flowers pressing themselves insistently against his esophagus through their tracheal prison.

Then, dandelions turned into fluffy little blowballs after the flowers drop, their time in this world over. It’s tradition to blow the seed head of a dandelion to make a wish. He and Leon made wishes to become Champion when they were on the challenge together. Leon’s wish came true. Raihan’s wish changed.

Would his wish come true now if his lungs were full of these parachute seeds? He could make a wish with each gasping breath.

* * *

The tenth exhibition match against Leon went as expected.

He was very good at hiding his disease on national television, broadcast live to families across the Galar region. It was a show, and he would entertain them all, perhaps for the last time.

Afterwards, when Leon caught him coughing in the locker rooms, he felt his heart stop – finally, a pain in his chest that wasn’t from those cursed flowers, he thought morbidly. But still, it was due to Leon. He didn’t want Leon to know about this. He didn’t want Leon to give him the same Hanahaki speech he had prepared for all his other fans.

Leon had rushed over to him, a hand on his back as Raihan begged for none of the petals to surface. As he pulled his hand away, he clenched it into a fist, hiding anything that may have come up. He gave Leon a weak smile.

“Sorry, mate, probably too much training in my sandstorms. And I still can’t beat you!”

Leon looked at him sadly. “You have to be more careful, Raihan. You’re my rival, after all.”

Raihan punched Leon in the shoulder softly. “Yeah, we can’t have your ego getting too big. Who else would be able to get you to even use Charizard in battle otherwise?”

“That’s true.”

And then Leon looked at Raihan with such soft eyes that Raihan nearly coughed up some of his cursed petals right there.

* * *

When he visited a doctor, he was told that he was not a candidate for surgery, due to the nature of dandelion seeds and the tenacity of their roots. Not that he wanted to get surgery anyway. It would remove all of his feelings for Leon, leaving a gaping hole in his emotions. And who would he be, anyway, without this love? He didn’t think he’d be able to love anyone like this again.

Although it’s ridiculous, his entire being is dedicated to being there for Leon. To supporting his dreams. Who would he be if he suddenly couldn’t feel anything towards him?

How would Leon feel, knowing that his best friend loved him so much that dandelions couldn’t help but bloom in his chest, and he ripped out those feelings like an unwanted weed in the garden?

* * *

He started to post more than post-battle selfies shortly after he started coughing up those tiny, innocent petals.

Outfits of the day, everyday carry, Pokéball flatlays, fitspo, landscape porn, food porn. Just about anything that wasn’t actual porn. That was tempting at times though – he knew he had a pretty good body, and some of his fans were _thirsty._

Maybe he was feeling his mortality. Maybe he wanted something for his friends and family to look back on, to show them that he had a _good life_ before he chose to leave his Hanahaki untreated and unaddressed. That he was facing this new challenge on his own terms.

He carefully made sure there was no hint of those telling flowers in any of his posts.

And every time he had a particularly bad day, he posted a picture of a raging sandstorm.

* * *

Before Raihan became gym leader, he spent his time training in the Wild Area, working towards defeating his rival. Sometimes, Leon was able to join him. They had a spot just for them, a place no one else seemed to know about, hidden around a few large rocks. The Berry trees in the clearing were always heavy with fruit.

They spent nights under the stars, full of curry and adventures. Leon, given a chance to be _himself,_ away from the constant scrutiny of the public, was like a bright star in the sky himself. His excited smile when free from the perpetual cameras and fans and expectations made Raihan follow after him, would make Raihan follow him to the ends of the earth.

Raihan would never admit it, but he didn’t envy Leon's Champion title at all. He preferred to have his carefully constructed public image of his own creation. If he was the one curating his public persona, he could drip feed the public what he wanted them to see. He could compartmentalize.

Leon wasn’t given that opportunity. He grew up as the Champion, darling of Galar. So Raihan made as much time as possible for Leon to be away from it all. He didn’t need to go to the Wild Area so much, but Chairman Rose thought their friendship was good for Leon's public image. He never denied Leon's request to train with Raihan, away from civilization.

Raihan laughed at that, when Leon told him. “So you’re only allowed to train with me because it makes you look good? And here I thought you actually liked me!”

Leon flushed, looking like he wished he hadn’t said anything at all. “That’s just what he said! I’m not coming out with you only because he told me to.”

“I’m so honoured,” Raihan drawled sarcastically. “Maybe next time I should invite Nessa instead!”

Leon had blinked owlishly, his face a mask. “But this is ours.”

Raihan nudged his shoulder against Leon's. “I’m joking, you prat. You're the one who’s making it sound like I’m a chore.”

“Well, I like this being just us. You’re not a chore, Raihan. I like you.”

* * *

Sonia found out when she visited Raihan to research the Darkest Day. Raihan gave her the grand tour of the vault. It had the additional benefit of keeping him away from Leon, who was in town for a meeting with the Chairman. He felt better when he didn’t have to think about Leon, didn’t have to interact with him. He also didn’t want to think too much about that, his body's own subconscious self-preservation mechanisms.

He was slightly winded just from the climb up the stairs, but he passed it off as being tired from training. “It’s the middle of the gym challenge, after all,” he justified. Sonia looked skeptical, but she didn’t ask questions, because she was engrossed by the tapestries as soon as he opened the door. Raihan let out a sigh of relief. The last thing he needed was for Leon's childhood friend to know that he was slowly dying.

The roots in his lungs were growing thicker, stronger. He thought he could feel the leaves cutting into the soft tissue. And his coughing fits were starting to become more intense, with more petals each time. If only he could will himself out of love with the most lovable man in all of Galar.

Sonia turned around to ask him a question. Raihan didn’t hear a single word she said. His head felt like it had sunk into a deep fog, and he knew that this was a sign that the disease was progressing.

“Raihan? Are you okay?”

He opened his mouth to reply, but instead, a wracking cough supplied him with the head of a dandelion. Its tiny yellow petals had small drops of blood flecked across their surface. He looked at it only as long as he needed to think to himself, _so there’s whole flowers, now._

Sonia stared openly in horror. “How long, Raihan?”

“How long have I had Hanahaki, or how long do I have left?” He gave her a wry, resigned smile.

“Both.” She pulled him into a hug, tears filling her eyes. “Both, you fool.”

* * *

Once, even Leon had asked him why he stuck around Galar, when he knew he’d received offers to be Champion in other regions.

“It’s for you. Who else is gonna knock you off your throne?”

Leon gave him the biggest smile. Raihan felt a little bit of happiness bloom in his chest.

* * *

The gym challenge and the Champion Cup required him to play a certain role. And he did it with ease. But sometimes it was a bit more difficult. The trainer that Leon endorsed was special. He could feel it. Raihan was... jealous.

“What can I possibly say?” he’d said, the first time he was beaten by this upstart. “Calling myself Leon’s rival?” Leon was so far out of his reach.

At Wyndon Stadium, he kept up with the comforting façade. “Leon’s my rival – and he chose you.” With everyone watching, he hoped he didn’t sound jealous. Hop was fine to be endorsed by his older brother; everyone expected it. But this nobody? Leon chose this person, perhaps on a whim, or perhaps he saw something in them. And it stung.

And when he lost that second time...

“I’m still pretty young myself, but it just goes to show that there’s always someone younger coming up, reaching further than you ever dreamed…” He hoped he didn’t sound bitter. But at this point, he didn’t care. “And you’ve got your whole future ahead of you!” The self-deprecating laugh would sound more cheerful through the speakers, right?

* * *

What were the origins of Hanahaki, anyway? It didn’t even seem like a real disease. After all, how could flowers grow in the lungs? Don’t they need sunlight?

But then again, Pokémon were pretty fantastic creatures, too. They also don’t seem bound by petty human logic.

Raihan’s trainers chatted about Hanahaki after a grueling day in the Wild Area.

Aria thought it was romantic. “How could it not be? You fall so deeply in love with someone that your body creates flowers for them. And then it forces your feelings to the forefront! The romance writes itself.”

Camilla was more practical. “It seems like a terrible disease – I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. It robs people of their free will.”

Sebastian... well, it was personal, for him. “My mother died of Hanahaki.” He didn’t pause when Aria and Camilla gasped. “It... wasn’t for my father.”

* * *

All things considered, his trainers were unaware of his own Hanahaki for a very long time. They found out when he collapsed after his second battle with Hop, right after Hop had left the stadium with his shiny new badge.

Hop was so much like Leon, and yet not. Having to fight him, to stare him down, to see the similarities and differences all laid out before him, was the hardest thing Raihan ever had to do. Hop wanted so much to be like Leon that he copied Leon's movements. And yet, it was so unlike Leon. He was still finding himself, while Leon had been molded into the Champion. Maybe this was why he did so much better during this rematch, where there were no spectators – Raihan preferred rematches to be less stressful for everyone – Hop could feel more free to be _himself_ instead of Leon’s little brother. The two of them both were forcing themselves to be what Galar thought would be the ideal Champion, and it made Raihan’s heart hurt for reasons other than the roots threatening to break through his lungs to curl around that tiny, important organ.

And so, as soon as Hop left, as soon as the door shut behind his back, Raihan let himself fall. He let himself be weak, for the first time in a long while. He let a fit take over, flowers spilling from his lips, and he sunk to his knees, then sunk into darkness.

When he awoke, Sebastian was hovering over him, looking as though he had everything to say to him but nothing would come out. Camilla was sitting to his right, unshed tears shimmering in her eyes. And Aria was pale as a ghost, faced with the reality of Hanahaki.

“You’re all staring at me as if I’m on my death bed,” he croaked, the bitterness of mature dandelion petals and blood coating his tongue. He missed the days when the disease was new and the petals were sweet and delicate. It was easier to swallow when his terminal illness tasted faintly of honey. “I still should have a while yet before I keel over.”

Sebastian balled his fists. He knew exactly where Raihan was on the disease timeline, and from the severe looks he was getting from the other two, everyone has been brought up to speed. “You can’t get surgery, can you?”

Raihan gave them a sad smile. He was using this smile a lot recently. “I can’t.”

Aria grasped his hands between her own. “I saved your flowers for you.” She always did what she could, and Raihan loved her for it.

“Thanks, Aria. I’ve been keeping the nicer ones, pressing them, though most days I don’t even know why.”

“The books always say the flowers have sentimental value, so...” she gave him a shaky smile as she trailed off.

A fat tear slipped out of Camilla's eyes. “Are you happy, Raihan?”

This time, Raihan could give a more confident smile. “Yeah. And I’m happier with all of you with me, too.”

* * *

When Raihan was on his gym challenge, he often spent nights in the Wild Area with Leon. That was part of why the continued to train in the Wild Area together, after.

The route to Wyndon was cold and difficult, so he and Leon travelled together, partially to make sure Leon wouldn’t get lost along the way. On a bitter night, the two of them curled up next to one another, sharing dreams.

“I want to make Galarian trainers the strongest in the world!” Leon exclaimed, unbridled ambition shining in his eyes. “That’s why I want to be Champion!”

Raihan couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ll have to beat me in the Cup, first!”

“I definitely will!” Leon was all bravado, but he could back it up with actual battling talent. Raihan never thought that someone could contain that much Pokémon knowledge. It probably was why there was no space left in that brain for directions.

“I’m jealous though. You have such an amazing dream.” Raihan yawned, covering his mouth. “I wanted to go on my gym challenge because battling is so much fun. But I don’t know what I’m going to do after.”

Leon grinned broadly. “If you’re Champion, which you won’t be, I bet you’ll be busy doing whatever the Chairman says! But since you won’t be, I’ll just have to help you figure it out.”

Raihan giggled. “You’re the best, Leon.”

* * *

When Raihan saw Chairman Rose on the large screens in Wyndon Stadium, right before the Champion Match, he felt his heart sink. Not because of Hanahaki, but because he knew how much this meant to Leon. How important this match, and every match, is to him.

And then Hammerlocke was attacked, the Darkest Day happening over his own Stadium, and every thought of the match, any match, was discarded in an instant. Flygon was already out of his ball as Raihan ran out of Wyndon, and they were halfway to Hammerlocke before the rest of the region even knew something was wrong. Raihan needed to protect his trainers, his gym, as much as he needed to support Leon's ambitions. The flowers in his chest rebelled, but Raihan swallowed them down, not letting them interfere. He couldn’t have them, not right now.

By the time everyone was evacuated from the immediate danger zone, he found out that Leon had already rushed to the top of the castle to stop the Darkest Day. Hop and Hop's best friend rushed in, too – what a pair of friends. What a pair of siblings.

Raihan... couldn’t. He was exhausted. He was so worried about Leon, but he had a duty to protect Hammerlocke first. He hoped he wouldn’t regret that decision. His heart hammered in his chest and his lungs burned with every effort, flowers threatening to spill out of his throat with every breath. As he stumbled to the elevator, he saw Sonia, worry clouding her clear eyes. And when she saw him, the worry deepened.

She twirled a lock of her hair and chewed on her lip. “Let’s go up? I’ve already called the police.”

Raihan nodded, not trusting himself to speak. It only made Sonia more concerned. She took him by the elbow as they ascended to Tower Summit.

They emerged to find two children fighting alongside two legendary Pokémon against a massive alien dragon skeleton (seriously, Rose?) that covered the sky. But Raihan spotted Leon’s prone form, collapsed off to the side, his Charizard standing guard.

He went over to his friend, his rival, his secret love. Checking Leon's pulse and finding it beating strong underneath his fingers, Raihan let out a sigh of relief. Except, the sigh produced little drifting seeds, floating away in a swirl of Dynamax energy. Charizard, too smart for his own good, looked sharply at Raihan. He sighed again. “Don’t. I know.”

* * *

Halfway through the latest gym challenge, there was yet another Hanahaki victim who carried a torch for Leon. Raihan caught the news broadcast by coincidence.

The interviewer was sweet and understanding, but the poor victim was like a deer in the headlights, not sure that she wanted her love broadcast to the region like this. Yet, here she was, being put through the same rigmarole as the rest of them. At least the viewers were typically more sympathetic to these Hanahaki victims, who usually didn’t realize they loved Leon enough to grow those cursed flowers. After all, who didn’t love Galar's unbeatable Champion just a little bit? So these victims ended up being paraded out to the region as examples, as cautionary tales.

Raihan always thought that this song and dance, rather than Leon’s own apology, was what helped people move on from their unrequited love.

He saw in the newspaper a week later that the young woman had made a full recovery. Her flowers were red roses.

* * *

Raihan visited Leon in the hospital the second day after the whole Eternatus thing. He wasn’t allowed visitors until then, and Raihan was first in line.

Leon already was demanding to be released, to be allowed to fight his Champion Match. It was so much like him. Raihan pulled a stool up next to Leon’s bed. “So, champ, I hear you’re raring to go.”

“I don’t know why they’re keeping me here,” Leon grumbled. “I’m perfectly fine, just a few scrapes.”

“Yeah, but you don’t want to lose, do you?” Raihan laughed, his hand patting Leon’s. “It’d be embarrassing for me if you lost against some kid because you weren’t feeling 100%.”

Leon stared down at their hands and then laced their fingers together. Raihan shoved his feelings down, and the flowers which pressed against his trachea. “Even if I lost, you’d still be my rival and the best Pokémon trainer I’ve ever met.”

“Best after you, you mean!”

Leon laughed. “Perhaps. You’re my favourite though. It’s too egotistical to say that I’m my own favourite!”

Raihan ruffled Leon's hair, pulling his hand free, stilling the emotions fluttering in his heart. “And that’s the only reason I rank higher?! I hope you lose!”

The pair of them bantered. Raihan went home when he was told to stop disturbing the other patients, but also because others wanted their time with Leon. He laughingly told Leon that he would have all the time in the world to sate his battle mania after he recovered, getting a bright grin out of the bedridden man.

And then, when Raihan was safely inside his house, doors locked, he let the coughing fit take over, the fit he struggled to keep suppressed while he was talking to Leon, not wanting him to know. Flowers pressed up against his teeth, filling his mouth, and he spat them out onto his floor. _There are the seeds again_ , he noted, _and a leaf this time. That’s new. Leaves mean the end is near._

* * *

Leon loses.

It’s the biggest upset in Galar’s history. Leon put on a good show, put on a strong face, and Raihan is left to wonder how the new Champion will turn out, now that Rose isn’t pulling the strings anymore. Galar is in for some interesting times, that’s for sure.

Raihan resolutely stays away from Leon, even though he wants to run to his side. His heart aches at being so far from Leon when he knows that Leon needs support right now. But at the current stage of his disease, Raihan isn’t sure that that’s a particularly good idea. It’s been a week since Leon’s lost, and Raihan has barely said a word to Leon.

He wonders if Leon notices. If he cares.

Raihan’s getting his affairs in order, in the meantime. His trainers can barely look at him anymore, and he doesn’t blame them. They all know he’s dying, likely to be gone after another two weeks. Hanahaki was like that. It gives you lots of time in the beginning, but then it accelerates, as if it knows you won’t face your fears head on, so it’ll end your misery for you.

He's messaged Milo with a simple, “sorry.” Milo kept tabs on Raihan, checked in every week, and he’s so thankful for this quiet friendship. They never did talk about it.

Sonia gets a picture of a seed head, devoid of all the seeds. The message attached reads, “made a wish.” She sends back ten long messages detailing in excruciating detail how much of an idiot he is for not telling Leon.

They all know that, probably, Leon would try to love Raihan so that Raihan could live. But they also know what Leon has done for anyone else who had Hanahaki for him, and no one’s willing to risk Raihan like that. For Raihan, being told to let go of his feelings would only accelerate his demise. It would rob him of an essential part of himself. His feelings were a tenacious weed that had permeated his entire body.

By now, Raihan is used to the constant soreness, flowers casually emerging from his throat. He jokes with Sebastian that he can burp up dandelion seeds, and sounds like an 80 year old chain smoker, and Sebastian laughs while he cries. Aria follows him like a lost puppy, and he feels the worst for leaving her like this. He tells his Pokémon to keep a close eye on her when he’s gone. And Camilla is steadfast, resolute, becoming his own support. She leaves cough drops everywhere for him. She’ll make a fantastic successor to Hammerlocke Stadium.

He has a plan for the end: he's going to go to the Wild Area and let his flowers grow there. Where his friendship was forged with Leon, where he first fell in love with him. And so no one would have to come across his body, a macabre bouquet erupting from his mouth, his throat, his chest, as it overwhelms his body. He doesn’t want to subject any of his friends to that. He doesn’t want to be the gossip of the day as people speculate on who he loved so much to die for them, the people dearest to him harassed by the press. He wants to be reported as missing due to a Wild Area mishap, and Sonia and Milo both cry as they agree to corroborate his trainers' stories for when the time comes.

And that time comes too quickly for anyone’s liking.

Raihan sets out, a quiet and discreet farewell to those who know. He doesn’t cry, and he pretends not to see the tears on their faces. He been spending more of his waking moments coughing up flowers, his whole body shaking either from these fits or the effort to keep himself upright, and they all know it’s close enough to time.

He goes to _their place,_ the quiet hidden place where he first fell in love with Leon. He doesn’t think it was any single point in time, but rather a collection of moments, shared experiences, glances, touches, and feelings. Raihan’s life has been inextricably linked to Leon’s for over ten years, even though they don’t spend as much time together anymore.

He lies down on a bed of wildflowers and lets his Pokémon out of their balls. Every one of them refused to leave him until the end. He’s raised them all from eggs, after all.

“I’ll miss you all the most,” he says to them, stretching a hand to the sky. He coughs up a dandelion, practically gentle compared to the usual hacking. Each breath is a struggle, and he looks forward to the end. He takes a quick picture of this last flower, against the sun and the clear blue sky. He posts it onto his social media and tosses his phone off to the side, the Rotom chittering as it floats around the rest of his team. “Promise me you’ll all continue doing fun things?”

He lets his eyes drift shut, a calm breeze blowing across his face, and he sleeps.


	2. epilogue: kibanafuji

Leon woke up from his nap with a start. He was sweating, his heart beating a mile a minute. And he didn’t know why. He was sleeping soundly, and then... what?

He looked out his window. A perfectly lovely day – clear blue skies, bright shining sun, little wisps of clouds floating lazily. There was nothing wrong out there.

He forced himself to calm down. Deep breaths to slow his racing pulse. Unclenching his fingers that held his sheets tight. Everything was okay.

It wasn’t a nightmare. Everyone thought he might have some trauma from the Darkest Day, or be hung up on his immediate loss afterwards. But he wasn’t too concerned about any of it. His loved ones were safe, Galar was safe. And now that he was no longer Champion, and Rose was out of the picture, he could… be free.

He looked out his window again. He had been avoiding Raihan recently, ashamed to have lost to someone who wasn’t his rival, but maybe today he would go out to find him. He had all the time in the world, Raihan had said.

Leon had been in love with Raihan for forever, and now that he was free, maybe he could try.


End file.
